Books with author John Austen

PopularMechanics.com selection for one of The Best DIY and Home Improvement Books of 2009 We’ve come a long way from the Peashooter Era: with the advent of modern household products and office supplies—binder clips, clothespins, rubber bands, ballpoint pens, toothpicks, paper clips, plastic utensils, and (of course) matches and barbeque lighters—troublemakers of all stripes have the components needed to build an impressive, if somewhat miniaturized, arsenal. Toy designer John Austin provides detailed, step-by-step instructions for each project, including materials and ammo lists, clear diagrams, and construction tips, for mayhem-loving MacGyvers. The 35 devices include catapults, slingshots, minibombs, darts, and combustion shooters. Build a tiny trebuchet from paper clips and a D-cell battery. Wrap a penny in a string of paper caps to create a surprisingly impressive “bomb.” Several of the projects even include variations where combatants mount laser pointer sights to their shooters to increase their accuracy. Finally, once you’ve built your armory, the author provides plans for a Top Secret Concealing Book to hide your stash, as well as targets for shooting practice. Never let your personal space go undefended again!

Being a wizard takes training, practice, and a few tips from an expert. Labcraft Wizards provides dozens of step-by-step projects to transform everyday objects into instruments of magic, such as a sculpted magic wand, gooey ogre snot, bouncy dragon eggs, edible brewed slugs, an enchanted hourglass, and more! Through its creative activities, Labcraft Wizards encourages scientific observation and helps eager minds explore basic concepts in chemistry and physics through experimentation.

We've come a long way from the Peashooter Era: with the advent of modern household products and office supplies - foldback clips, clothespins, rubber bands, ballpoint pens, toothpicks, paper clips and plastic utensils - the everyday junk drawer can hold all the materials needed to create pocket-sized weaponry. Whether you're slowing dying of boredom in a stuffy office, plotting revenge on your older siblings or simply looking for a wonderful way to kill some time, this book is for you. Toy designer John Austin provides detailed, step-by-step instructions for each project, including materials and ammo lists, clear pictures, and construction tips, for mayhem-loving MacGyvers. The 35 devices include catapults, slingshots, darts, crossbows, and combustion shooters. Build a tiny trebuchet from paper clips and a D-cell battery. Wrap a penny in a string of paper caps to create a surprisingly impressive "bomb." Several of the projects even include variations where combatants mount laser pointer sights to their shooters to increase their accuracy. The instructions are simple so that anyone can make these wacky innovations in minutes whilst also learning about mechanics and physics in a fun, hands-on way.

After her parents’ death, Sarah felt like there was no luck left in the world. With her siblings’ newly out of the house, she’s free, for the first time in years, to do something just for her. So when her best friend surprises her with tickets to Dublin for the week of St. Patrick’s Day, she’s thrilled. Dublin during St. Paddy’s is where her parents met, and she had always sworn that once she was old enough to enjoy the festivities, she would go and experience it. Now, she’s on a mission to reconnect with her parents’ past and visit the places in their photographs. But when she falls—literally—into the arms of an attractive if snarky Irishman at a pub, Sarah might just have to add another quest to her list: find out said man’s name…and relationship status? A sweet, clean romance short story.**Every book in the Romancing the Holidays series can be read as a standalone.**

With the advent of modern household products and office supplies—binder clips, clothespins, rubber bands, ballpoint pens, toothpicks, paper clips, plastic utensils, and matches and barbeque lighters—troublemakers of all stripes have the components needed to build an impressive, if somewhat miniaturized, arsenal. Detailed, step-by-step instructions for each project are provided, including materials and ammo lists, clear diagrams, and construction tips. The 35 devices include catapults, slingshots, minibombs, darts, and combustion shooters—build a tiny trebuchet from paper clips and a D-cell battery, wrap a penny in a string of paper caps to create a surprisingly impressive “bomb,” and convert champagne party poppers and pen casings into a three-barreled bazooka. Finally, plans are provided for a top secret concealing book to hide your stash, as well as targets—cardboard critters, big-headed aliens, and zombies—for shooting practice. Never let your cubicle, home office, or personal space go undefended again!

-Finalist, 2016 Eric Hoffer Book Awards-Finalist, 4th Annual Beverly Hills Book Awards-Bronze Medal Winner, 2016 Feathered Quill Book AwardsIt does not matter if you are an experienced leader or are just starting out as a new manager or entrepreneur, the techniques outlined in Unquestioned Brilliance can improve your decision making and critical thinking. The book outlines ten techniques, built from research and validated through application, designed to help leaders and their teams become better strategic thinkers.For less than the price of a single dinner at a restaurant, this book offers the same content found in executive education strategic thinking courses. Unquestioned Brilliance is best viewed as a handbook for the aspiring leader. It provides a variety of tools for leaders of teams at all levels of an organization.Techniques included in this book include:-Uncertainty Vectoring: Sort and manage environmental uncertainties to use them for strategic insight and competitive advantage. -TAP Analysis: Align team expertise and task requirements in a manner that develops teams and improves performance. -Tension Tracking: Understand and manage prevailing interests that create stress and paralyze employees within your organization. -Blind-Spot Centering: Stress test strategic initiatives to identify limiting mindsets and strategic blind-spots. -GSO Decision-Making: Diagnose a decision process with a quick heuristic for finding the missing step. -Stakeholder Mapping: Identify the key individuals and groups early enough in a process to draw on their perspectives and expertise. -HERE Snapshot: Use a quick situational assessment when executing a strategic initiative in a new environment. -Backward-Forward Flip: Learn from past industry mistakes to improve odds of success of new organization innovations.The techniques outlined in this book can help leaders and their teams begin building their strategic thinking muscles and help them to better navigate around the unquestioned brilliance trap.

It does not matter if you are an experienced leader or are just starting out as a new manager or entrepreneur, the techniques outlined in Unquestioned Brilliance can improve your decision making and critical thinking. The book outlines ten techniques, built from research and validated through application, designed to help leaders and their teams become better strategic thinkers. For less than the price of a single dinner at a restaurant, this book offers the same content found in executive education strategic thinking courses. Unquestioned Brilliance is best viewed as a handbook for the aspiring leader. It provides a variety of tools for leaders of teams at all levels of an organization. Techniques included in this book include: -Uncertainty Vectoring: Sort and manage environmental uncertainties to use them for strategic insight and competitive advantage. -TAP Analysis: Align team expertise and task requirements in a manner that develops teams and improves performance. -Tension Tracking: Understand and manage prevailing interests that create stress and paralyze employees within your organization. -Blind-Spot Centering: Stress test strategic initiatives to identify limiting mindsets and strategic blind-spots. -GSO Decision-Making: Diagnose a decision process with a quick heuristic for finding the missing step. -Stakeholder Mapping: Identify the key individuals and groups early enough in a process to draw on their perspectives and expertise. -HERE Snapshot: Use a quick situational assessment when executing a strategic initiative in a new environment. -Backward-Forward Flip: Learn from past industry mistakes to improve odds of success of new organization innovations. The techniques outlined in this book can help leaders and their teams begin building their strategic thinking muscles and help them to better navigate around the unquestioned brilliance trap.

Being a wizard takes training, practice, and a few tips from an expert. Author and professional toy designer John Austin, creator of the popular MiniWeapons of Mass Destruction series, provides dozens of projects for up-and-coming sorcerers. Each of the 35 projects in Labcraft Wizards is explained through illustrated step-by-step instructions and uses simple, everyday materials. Build an Enchanted Hourglass out of empty soda bottles, plastic hangers, and sand. Transform a chicken egg into a colorful, bouncy Dragon Egg using vinegar and food coloring or mix up a batch of Ogre Snot with corn syrup and gelatin. Through its creative activities, Labcraft Wizards helps eager minds explore basic concepts in chemistry and physics through experimentation, encourages scientific observation, and fuels imaginations.

'Cubicle farms are full of enemy combatants begging to be taken out.' WIREDAchieve clandestine ends practically and inexpensively with Desk Wars - perfect for do-it-yourself spy enthusiasts. Follow fully illustrated step-by-step instructions to build 30 miniature secret weapons and surveillance tools from stationery, transforming common household items into uncommon gadgets and sidearms.Assert dominion over the desktop with these cunning contraptions:>>> Paper-Dart Watch>>> Pen Blowgun>>> Mint-Tin Catapult>>> Rubber-Band Derringer>>> Toothpaste Periscope>>> Bionic Ear>>> Cotton Bud .38 Special>>> Paper Throwing Star>>> 44 marker magnum>>> And more!